The present invention relates generally to a paint tray. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved paint tray with paint brush holder for use with a paint roller and paint brush.
A painter, either a homeowner or a professional, will typically use both a paint roller and paint brush, along with a paint tray, to paint the interior of a room. Specifically, a painter will use a paint roller to quickly paint the large easily accessible surface areas of the walls and ceiling, and use a paint brush to paint those surface areas inaccessible with the paint roller such as the corners between adjacent walls, the corners between the walls and the ceiling, and areas around doors, windows and the floor.
A conventional paint tray is typically made out of metal or preferably plastic, and is generally rectangularly shaped having a bottom with raised sides. The bottom of the paint tray includes a well or reservoir at one end for receiving a supply of paint and an inclined surface tapering upwardly from the paint well to the opposite end of the paint tray. The inclined surface provides a surface upon which a painter may roll a paint roller or brush a paint brush to remove excess paint therefrom.
Often a painter will alternate between use of a paint roller and a paint brush while painting a room necessarily requiring finding a location to place or rest the paint roller or paint brush when using the other. A painter, when not using the paint roller, can easily place the paint roller on the inclined surface of a paint tray. However, a painter, when not using the paint brush, must find a convenient location to place the paint brush. Leaning the paint brush against a raised side of the paint tray on the inclined surface of the paint tray interferes with applying paint to the paint roller. Laying the paint brush on top of adjacent raised sides, i.e., corner, of the paint tray adjacent the inclined surface also interferes with the use of the paint roller and can be easily dislodged. Laying the paint brush on top of adjacent raised sides, i.e., corner, of the paint tray adjacent the paint well is risky in that if the paint brush is dislodged may fall, partially or completely, into the paint well.
An example of a paint can accessory which includes a paint tray for supporting or holding a paint roller and a paint brush is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,576 granted to Lawrence. Lawrence, discloses a paint tray having a cylindrical base portion that engages and secures to the top edge of a paint can. Attached to the cylindrical base portion is a horizontal plate which forms a tray for distributing paint to a paint roller. The horizontal plate has a large opening at the joint to the cylindrical base portion through which a roller or brush may be dipped into the paint. A pair of parallel vertical projections extend upward from the horizontal plate to hold, on edge, a paint brush resting on the horizontal plate. A limitation with this paint can accessory is that the vertical projections disposed extending from the horizontal plate interfere with use of a paint roller when distributing paint to a paint roller, or require an increased width of the tray so that the vertical projections do not interfere when distributing paint to a paint roller. In addition, the tray must always be mounted on a paint can and cannot be used by itself. Moreover, typical paint cans do not have a sufficient diameter to get a normal roller into them.
An example of a paint brush and paint roller holder adapted to be releasable connected to an upright end wall of a paint tray is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,353 granted to Shannon, et al. Shannon, et al. discloses a holder which includes a means for clamping to both sides of the end wall of the paint tray, and a generally horizontally disposed platform that is positioned above the tray. The platform is structured to support both a paint brush and a paint roller separately, allowing free access to the paint by either the paint brush or paint roller, and facilitating paint drippings therefrom to fall freely back into the paint tray. One drawback with the releasable paint brush and paint roller holder is it increases the number of pieces of equipment and cost (for a separate brush holder) required by a painter in painting the interior of a room. Another drawback of the releasable holder is its ability to effectively attach and remain attached to the end wall of a paint tray during use without becoming loose.
For completeness, U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,205 granted to Hawk (which does not deal with the problem of holding a brush); U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,864, granted to LaKier (which cannot be used in conjunction with a paint roller and tray); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,193 granted to Drucker, disclose various devices for use in painting. Hawk discloses a paint roller support member for use with a paint tray. The paint tray includes a substantially coplanar front and rear ends, a paint well adjacent to and below the rear ends for storing a supply of paint, and an inclined surface tapering upwards from the well to the front end for rolling excess paint off the paint roller. The paint tray and the roller support member coact for supporting at least one portion of the paint roller above the well and with the paint roller handle resting on the front end of the tray thereby allowing excess paint from the roller to drip back into the well.
LaKier, discloses a paint brush holder which may be attached to a standard paint can and used to progressively lower a paint brush into a can of paint as paint is extracted from the can. One side of the holder is in a pivotal relationship with the can, and is connected to the opposite side of the holder by means of a tie or other connecting arrangement whose length may be variably and selectively adjusted. The tie is used to allow the side of the holder which is in a pivotal relationship with the paint to lower the paint brush into the paint can as the level of paint within the paint can is reduced.
Drucker, an earlier issued patent by the inventor of the present invention for an improved paint tray with paint brush holder, discloses a paint can holder for an angled roof. The paint can holder includes a tray for supporting one of two different sized paint cans eliminating the need for readjustment, means for releasably attaching the paint can to the tray so that the paint tray and holder can be carried from one location to another by lifting the handle on the paint can, and a pair of adjustable legs for stabilizing the tray in a horizontal position on an angled roof.
There is a need for a paint tray with paint brush holder that allows a painter to quickly alternate between use of a paint roller and a paint brush in that the paint tray provides a secure and non-interfering place for positioning the paint roller or paint brush when using the other.